Get the Big House More intimidating

This is the best post ever. No sarcasm.

all this maize-out planning is a little... corny.

YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH

A buddy of mine tried to organize this last year against Ohio State and actually put quite a bit of effort into it. The main problems we ran into was with the administration (maybe if you could to Rich he would help) but they made it very clear that they did not want any companies advertising within the stadium and warned that certain companies could even violate contracts that the university has.

I think it would be awesome if it happened, but it is much more difficult than it seems like it should be.

though, I think those are pretty good ideas and the completion of the new press box will help a great deal with the sound. maybe they could get a few businesses to throw their logos on shirts. I know businesses are going to have to get creative in this economy.

great idea, doubt it will happen

Let's maize out the Motor City Bowl next year

That was brilliant!

1). No Maize jersey. A lot of people shell out $70 for a replica jersey, and then want to wear them to the game, and will do so, regardless of the "official color" of the day.

2). No consistent Maize. My fiancee has put on a shirt, sweatshirt, hat, and pants that are officially licensed Michigan gear, and all four maizes were different shades. While the overall effect might look somewhat good, it's just not there.

3). A majority of people do not own a yellow outer jacket. With Michigan weather, as early as October, any efforts to get a Maize Out might be kiboshed by the weather. Imagine if all of the effort had gone in to making a Maize Out for the Northwestern game last season.

4). Free t-shirts need to come in larger sizes. You're asking people to put a giveaway t-shirt over what they are already wearing, you need to start at L and go to XXL, because there are a lot of people who need a more generous cut.

5). Many of the alumni, who are the season ticket holders that you're asking to do this, really don't care about an intimidating Big House. Maybe this changes when the suites open.

I'm not saying we shouldn't try, and I am not saying that it's not a good idea, but I think we need to be aware of the challenges that face this, and whether or not we want to be beholden to marketing to make the Big House an intimidating place.

3).

and fuddy-duddy season ticket holders don't strike me as a group of people who would want alot of noise made,while watching their beloved Wolverines.

Maybe adidas might want to get involved along with local establishments with the terrible towels.

If you asked a thousand D-1 players what makes an away stadium intimidating— the noise levels or the color of the t-shirts—do you really think they're going to say the t-shirts? A maize-out may look great on TV and makes for good school spirit, but c'mon.... it's a football game, not Project Runway. I really doubt 6'-7" 330-lb guys are intimidated by nicely-coordinated fashions displayed by the fans in the seats.

What makes a stadium intimidating is the volume of noise, and this is the primary reason I'm in favor of the addition to the stadium. I'll never set foot inside a suite, nor would I want to watch a game from one, but the addition should make for increased noise levels down on the field. Even though I'm technically an old fart at 56, I have absolutely no patience or sympathy for the older bluehairs who think they're at the goddamn symphony and the "down in front" crowd, and to be blunt fans just have to ignore them and wait for them to die. I'm hoping the noise levels are so much louder that the bluehairs just give up their season tickets to people who actually want to cheer loudly.

with your use of the English language.

AWESOME. i agree.

what about a maize AND blue out?

im down for anything as long as we get rid of the "key" down stuff. am i the only one that thinks thats really lame, plus its a lot quieter because for some reason everyone stops yelling wen ther jingling ther keys.

also i dont no y a blue-out wood be any worse than a black out. and the blackout is pretty sick from wut iv seen.

but in all honesty, i dont think the big house will every be especially intimidating. the press boxes wont make the stadium all that louder. aside from the shape of the stadium, the equally big problem is that the non-students (and even some of the students) are just not that loud. its not all that unusual to expect OSU alums who are all truck drivers and gas pumpers and burger flippers to get drunk off ther ass and yell till ther red. but dr smith the UM alum is not gonna get all crazied out

I think you have to look at the Michigan Stadium experience on its own terms. It isn't honest to compare Michigan's traditions to those of others schools hoping to come out with a break-even rubric. If it was all about noise, 'white-outs', and 'jump-around', the heirarchy of college football fandom (and 'intimidation') in the Big Ten securely has its leaders.

However, when you think about it, you'll notice that's not remotely the case. Noise is nice, loud is good, and I'm all about drunken high-fives and back-slapping when it's appropriate. But that's not what Michigan Stadium is about.

Michigan has "the Victors". Only a handful of schools have such a storied and inspired/inspiring fight song, and even less with a band talented enough to do it justice. Michigan has the "Let's Go Blue" bell, Temptation and the Hawaiian War Chant. There won't be any jock-jams, amplified synthetic noise, or corporate pageantry at Michigan Stadium. The focus will be on the field, on the Band, and on Tradition. (Having said this, I'm not against amplifying a "Let's Go Blue" bell, Michigan fanfare, or the sound of keys jangling over the PA if it will get the whole stadium clapping and cheering together. PA prompts to cheer are OK with me so long as they don't overwhelm focus off the field).

On the scoreboard, Michigan Stadium proudly lists the years for all 42 conference titles, 11 claimed national titles. Michigan has had 150 All-Americans, 3 Heisman winners, and over 870 overall wins (leading the NCAA). These are the stats that each of the 107,501 Michigan faithful exude en masse every game-day; some express the Michigan tradition with facepaint, maize shirts, blue shirts, no shirts... and for many, in no Michigan apparel at all. And I think we should be OK with that. Because to me, having a grandpa at the game who sits quietly and watches his 100th, 150th or 200th win at U-M with little to no fanfare of his own making doesn't take away from my game experience but has a hand in making it.

When the new additions are completed, Michigan Stadium will draw over 108,000 people (young, old, alums, students), and we can rest assured it will be a classy crowd: folks who've come to watch a game played the Michigan way, and chances are they'll see the other team lose.

Conversely, every time an opposing team comes to the Big House, chances are slim they're coming away with a win. Michigan's all-time wins: 872–294–36 (.740); it's in the numbers. That's a level of intimidation that a bunch of idiots in white t-shirts, or dancing around to music that wasn't even cool in 1992, can only dream to achieve. What more do you really want?

is that I have been to over 40 games in total and 3 bowls (including the 97 Rose), and, the Michigan fans are pretty much boring. This year I went to the Georgia Tech and LSU game, LSU shows up. Their band is incredible and the fans live and die with every play.

It is an extremely exciting three or so hours. I am all for tradition, but then again I am all for a party also.

maybe this will just label me as a dickhead but I feel the need to say it. If we want the Big House to be more intimidating we need to stop shutting up when our beloved blue are not playing well. I think it is disgusting to have the team that we came to see be the same team that we are shouting boos at. I hear all of the time how a team needs to make a few big plays and get the crowd into it but why cant the crowd be the one to get the team into it. Does anybody out there think that it is intimidationg to another team when we are booing the team that they are playing against. When you take our cheers out of the equation it might as well be a game played on a neutral field. I do not want to see a game on a neutral field I want to see it on my teams field where I can shout hoot and hollar and cheer them on. What if the tradition of winning started again, but because of the crowd and not in spite of it.

Not even being a M fan I really like the idea of the 'terrible towel'.

I do think the 'x' out thing is getting old. I mean Penn State seems to have it down but Ohio State tried this during the game against Penn State and called it Scarlet Fever ... just doesn't look the same and I am not convinced there is a real psychological effect.